The Practice of Hope
If you'd like to catch up on this series, I started blogging about it last week.
Our Pastor, Justin, preached this week on the “practice of hope” in a hurried life.
Most of us struggle with being unsure of the uncertain... something could be going on with family or neighborhood.
When there aren't easy or quick answers to the questions we have, we can lack hope. But uncertainty doesn't mean hopelessness.
Even in the unknown moments of life, God is faithful. With him there is always hope. We took a look at Psalm 22 penned by David.
Psalm 22
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
David is dealing with suffering and saying, “God where are you?” This is a cry of disorientation. An example Justin mentioned was feeling disoriented by being hit by a wave at the beach, and searching for air and a place to land.
In this psalm, David is crying out to God in a personal way.
In versus 6-8 he is mocked and attacked.
It can be both painful and heart wrenching to experience being attacked by other people. This is a dire and seemingly hopeless situation.
Yet there are glimpses of truth and hope. God is holy and the only sovereign God of all of creation. We are created to be dependent... worshipping him instead of stealing that glory for ourselves.
When we sin we worship ourselves instead of God and seek to be the king of our own life. Rebellion is present when we push against God when we don't walk with him.
In these situations we need hope and need help, not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. —Psalm 22:19
There is still hope in all of this. We can relate to is Jesus's disciples. Psalm 22 is a period of waiting.
Jesus was never uncertain. He knew that his death and crucifixion was not he end of his story like shown in Matthew 27.
Jesus died on the cross and took on our sin and shame. So that we can be reconciled to God. Jesus suffered like us and for us.
It is often in times of uncertainty in our own lives that God is at work the most. There is worship in community and hope that God has died and risen.
Jesus identifies with you in affliction and those moments you feel like God has forsaken you.
He invites you into life now and forever.
When have there been times in your own life that you've dealt with uncertainty? Did you cling to God or try to solve your problems yourself?
